Topic: patents

As rumors suggest Apple will launch a 12.9-inch iPad with a new stylus accessory later this year, a new patent application offers a glimpse at what the company could be working on, describing an advanced stylus that would offer much more dynamic ways of interacting with a touchscreen than just the press of a finger.

A pair of Apple patent applications published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday describe a display capable of displaying 2D and 3D images at the same time and a portable cellular hotpot with a unique cylindrical design.

Lost amidst a sea of flashy hardware technologies introduced with Apple Watch was a new image-based pairing technique distinguished by a "particle cloud" effect. On Tuesday, Apple received a patent detailing what appears to be the bedrock of this unique pairing procedure, hinting at its use in future products.

An Apple patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday details an advanced haptic feedback system that simulates the feeling of different textures on a device display, such as wood and metal, using localized vibrations and temperature changes.

Just days before Apple Watch is slated to ship out to early buyers, Apple on Tuesday was granted patents for its unique Sport Band, Classic Buckle and Link Bracelet device accessories, protecting the innovative designs from potential copycats.

A patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday reveals Apple is continuing to explore light field camera applications, in this case imagining how users would manipulate image data to change focus or depth of field in a photo editing app.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday handed down a final decision invalidating key claims of a so-called "podcasting patent" assigned to Personal Audio, LLC, which was in the midst of leveraging the IP against multiple podcasters.

Samsung has asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to review two Smartflash patents, a move that could potentially absolve Apple of paying $532.9 million in damages following a Smartflash court victory in February.

Apple has explored presenting iPhone users with non-dismissable notifications, such as requiring personal health data to be entered before resuming normal use of their device, in a concept that could help break bad habits.

Apple's current Find My Friends app lets iPhone and iPad users spot acquaintances on a map, but an invention detailed on Tuesday takes things to a whole new level with path tracking and route following.

An Apple patent published on Tuesday details a miniaturized iPhone camera system that employs a light-splitting cube to parse incoming rays into three color components, each of which are captured by separate sensors.

With final Apple Watch details fleshed out earlier in March, patents for the device have started to show up at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including a design published on Tuesday for what Apple calls the modern buckle band.

A patent application published on Thursday reveals Apple's interest in a docking solution for iPhone and iPad that supports multiple accessories and incorporates a display, advanced gesture controls, wireless communications and even inductive charging.

A U.S. patent application published on Thursday reveals Apple is actively researching ways to make its products resistant to moisture, a feature sometimes attributed to "active" smartphone models marketed by competing smartphone manufacturers.

Just one day after Smartflash won a $533 million jury decision against Apple, the intellectual property holder filed yet another patent case against the company seeking even more damages for alleged infringement.

Apple on Tuesday was granted a patent for a method by which two or more mobile device users can share and interact with app data in real time, including the ability to see each other's screens during a FaceTime call.